January 29, 2026
New advisory body provides patients a seat at the table regarding health care affordability decisions
(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) —The Bleeding Disorders Council of California (BDCC) commends the Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) – within the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) – for announcing the creation of a Patient and Consumer Forum on Health Care Affordability, a meaningful step toward ensuring patients’ needs are included in decisions that shape California’s health care system.
The forum offers patients an opportunity to share their experiences directly with decisionmakers as OHCA works to improve health care affordability, access, and quality. For patients living with chronic, rare, and complex conditions, these decisions can have lasting impacts on access to specialized care, treatments, and medications. By providing patients a seat at the table, OHCA’s cost containment efforts can be better balanced with real-world patient needs.
“Patient experience is not theoretical, it is lived,” said Lynne Kinst, Executive Director of BDCC. “Affordability policies must protect access to care, especially for patients who rely on specialized and often high-cost treatments. This forum is an important step toward ensuring patient realities are reflected in policy decisions.”
Patients, caregivers, and patient advocates representing diverse health conditions and communities across California will be invited to join the forum. Members will offer recommendations grounded in lived experience to help inform OHCA’s work on health care spending, market trends, and policy decisions. By increasing transparency and formalizing patient input, the forum can help reduce the risk of unintended consequences that limit access to essential and life-saving care.
In 2025, Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom (D-Tracy) demonstrated her leadership and advocacy on patient representation through Assembly Bill 278. AB 278 was introduced to underscore the importance of patient engagement during a period of significant state action on health care costs and system oversight.
“Too often, affordability decisions move forward without the voices of the patients most affected,” Kinst added. “Assemblymember Ransom recognized that gap and championed a more inclusive approach. We are thrilled to see OHCA build on the Assemblymember’s action to help move health care policy toward greater accountability and patient-centered decision making.”
Assemblymember Ransom added, “I’m glad we were able to find a non-legislative solution and bring all parties to the table. Patients with chronic, rare, or terminal illnesses need a real voice and this new forum helps make sure patient experiences are heard as the state works to make health care more affordable, without sacrificing quality, equity, or access to care.”
BDCC looks forward to continuing to work with OHCA and state policymakers to ensure California’s health care system remains both affordable and accessible for patients and families across the state.
About the Bleeding Disorders Council of California: The Bleeding Disorders Council of California (BDCC) is a statewide nonprofit working to improve access to care, treatment, and support for individuals and families affected by bleeding disorders. BDCC advocates for health equity, educates the public and policymakers, and strengthens the bleeding disorders community through outreach and collaboration.